With the increase in the deployment of optical networks such as data centers, a need has arisen for increasing the performance, manageability, bend tolerance, handleability and flexibility of fiber optic assemblies such as cables, cable assemblies and network components in general. Unlike long-haul applications, data centers and the like typically use multimode optical fibers instead of single-mode optical fibers. Due to its relatively large core, a multimode optical fiber is more sensitive to events that cause optical attenuation when compared with a single-mode optical fiber, which has a smaller core.
In data center applications, the large volume of cables restricts air flow among the data center equipment, which increases cooling costs for the data center. Small duplex cables can be utilized to increase data capacity without unduly increasing cooling costs. One conventional duplex cable has a pair of fibers disposed in a cavity of the cable. The fibers could become intertwined, however, causing attenuation losses. Another duplex cable the “zipcord” cable—includes one fiber in each individual leg of the cable. Zipcord cables have relatively large cross-sections however given their capacity to transmit data. A third conventional duplex cable has two fibers bound in a ribbon. Ribbonized fibers, however, may be difficult to separate from each other for connectorization.